A Jesus girl, railroad wife, homeschool mom, avid book reader, enjoy's coffee, country life, walking, hiking, and yoga. Doing my best to make the most of life by following God, encouraging others, and enjoying every minute of it!! So follow me along as I blog about life as a mom, my faith, and sharing books. Proverbs 3:5~Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Friday, February 28, 2014

Last Friday of February! Wow, February has flown by! I am still sitting in awe thinking about all of God's blessings last weekend during the Father Daughter Banquet. Not only was the banquet a blessing to many fathers and daughters, it was also a blessing to those helping to put it together. New friendships were made, lots of encouragement, and fun! It is amazing what can be done when we use the gifts God gives us! Again thank you God for providing and blessing me! Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am
helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

I want to be honest, I am still learning on this journey and I know I will never be perfect here on earth, but God see's me as perfect, knowing that is amazing, what grace! I admit I don't always trust in the Lord, I sometimes worry and I get wrapped up in the distractions or listening to thoughts in my head that are placed by the evil one. God just keeps proving to me over and over how faithful He is. I am learning that sometimes I just need to step back, sit still and listen. I mentioned this to a friend the other day, you know if we would just not get distracted and would stay in-tuned to the present moment we would see God so much more in our everyday lives. He is all around us, so it is back to my focus verse this year that I must press into John 3:30 He must become greater; I must become less. Take this example from king David, he had many reasons to give up, but he didn't, he loved the Lord with all His heart and trusted in Him. Psalm 62 speaks to me so much about that.

1. My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.
2
He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.3
How long will you assault a man? Would all of you throw him down-- this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4
They fully intend to topple him from his lofty place; they take
delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they
curse. "Selah"
5
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
6
He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7
My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.8
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. "Selah"
9
Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie; if weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.
10
Do not trust in extortion or take pride in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.11
One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong,12
and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done.

For me that is being in the Word. This is from a post off of Good Morning Girls (http://www.goodmorninggirls.org/2014/02/mind-focused-heaven/)

"Do we want to grow spiritually? Then we need to be in the
word. Do we want to learn about God’s character? Know the word. Do we
want to get better at praying, learn to be a better wife and mother,
learn patience and kindness? Then we must be focused on the word."

Sunday, February 23, 2014

I was blessed with opportunity to help in organizing a Father Daughter Banquet for our community through our moms group, Moms Connect and our church. The theme was Dance With Cinderella, based on the song by Steven Curtis Chapman http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=JJCCMFNU I have been blessed over the last couple weeks working with some wonderful people. We were blessed with a full attendance, many wonderful donations, volunteers, and sponsors. Words can not describe what I am feeling today, yes a bit tired, like I ran a marathon but a very good tired. So in awe by how God used this event to bring encouragement, connection, and a special time for fathers and daughters.

Here are some pictures of my hubby taking our precious daughter to her first dance! Just melts a mama's heart!

Friday, February 21, 2014

It has been such an inspiring blessed week to see God working! God has brought together this wonderful event (Father/Daughter Banquet) that our moms group, Moms Connect is sponsoring. He has worked all the details together, provided the needs, blessed us with a full attendance and amazing volunteers and sponsors!! I can't wait to see it all come together tomorrow night!! Plus I get to see my hubby in a pink tie, I have never seen him wear a tie in the almost 10 years that I have known him. It is going to be a very special night for him and our daughter, as well as all the other fathers and daughters attending.

Anyhow I just had to share that, because it just blows me away!! Though I am not surprised because God does the impossible, blesses us, hears our prayers, provides the needs, and so much more, all you have to do is seek Him!! (Luke 1:37, Numbers 6:24-26, Philippians 4:19, Matthew 7:7)

Here are some great inspiring helpful posts I have come across recently that I feel are worth sharing:

"That all the little moments of our quiet, radically
poured-out lives will add up to one big, hearty, “Well done, good and
faithful servant.” And we will link arms as sisters knowing that we fought the good fight and we finished the race. That we ran well. That in those quiet moments of living radically, we see Jesus. We meet Him in the midst of the messy mundane and KNOW we matter." http://joyforney.org/quiet-radicals/

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

A few days ago, the kids and I made some Valentine's crafts. One of them I had the kids tell me why they love daddy. Yes one of the answers was because he makes bacon. Just so you know I am not a bacon fan, I know I may be considered not normal, but already knew that!

Saturday, February 8, 2014

I was so proud of my little girl this morning, she wrote and made these pictures herself this morning. Proud of her reading and writing skills and how she incorporates them into art. So proud that I took pictures of them and sent them to the hubby. We have been working on some reading at home on days she is not at preschool, she enjoys doing worksheets from a kindergarten booked I got from Walmart and learning skills on the computer using http://www.starfall.com/index.htm Thanks to home-school friends for sharing this fun program! If you have a little one this is an easy way to work on letters, sounds, and words.

A card she made for the hubby and I.

This is a tractor she drew for her brother and he wanted two trailers.

Friday, February 7, 2014

Well this entire week has turned into a snow week, no school due to bad roads. Now I know if my Minnesota friends saw what I was talking about they laugh. But this is the south y'all!! We are not use to this kind of thing and that is my story and I am sticking to it! Yes I know I was born and raised in Minnesota but that doesn't mean I like it, I was definitely made to live in the south! Thank you God for putting me together with a man that required us to move south!

With that we haven't gone anywhere this week, cold and snow just isn't the kind of thing I want to be out in about in. The hubby was home first couple days so they had some fun in the snow! The last few days we have been playing games, making Valentine's and having some art fun!

Meet the new family addition, Mr. Snowman!

Kids having fun in the snow!

Peter has found a new way to catch birds! Smart cat!

Abigail painting a horse.

Aidan playing with stamps.

This week I like to leave you with a few blogs that I think our worth sharing and may be an encouragement for most of my readers:

Our moms group is reading a book by Jill Savage, currently she is going through chemo treatments, she shared this~I Peter 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. Seven reasons I have hope in the
hardship. http://www.jillsavage.org/seven-reasons-i-have-hope-in-the-hardship/

And then I came across this quote and it speaks volumes: “In every situation and circumstance of your life, God is always doing a
thousand different things that you cannot see and you do not know.”
John Piper

Monday, February 3, 2014

We had our first real snow fall last night! The kids woke up so excited and couldn't wait to get out and play in it! Lucky for me hubby is home to do that with them. I do not like cold, I lived it for 30 years in Minnesota and don't ever wish to move back. This is as far north as I like to move, actually I like to move a little more south, but not as south as Texas, that was just a little too hot and dry for me. We live in a happy medium of a place, that has all seasons with winter being the shortest!!

Here are some snapshots of the kids fun in the snow and yes I do believe my hubby and Bear had just as much fun sledding down the hill. I made hot chocolate for them when they came back in.

Abigail getting ready to go down the hill!

Aidan riding his motorcycle and Bear helping the hubby down the hill!

Abigail in her cute pink snowsuit, showing the snow angel she made!

Aidan pretending his John Deere lawn mower is a snow blower. Stopping to watch the snow plow!

I had the wonderful blessed opportunity to review one of Kayse Pratt's ebooks again. Though we have not met in the live, I enjoy reading her blog and have made a connection with her via Facebook, that is one of the pluses of Facebook, making friends with people you don't live close to.

She recently wrote a book titled: Worth the Fight~Lessons learned in a high maintenance marriage. Here is what I loved about the ebook:

First of all, love the title, worth the fight, well because we have had some difficulties in our marriage and I can testify it definitely is worth working out problems, when you work them out, your marriage deepens. Also she has in the title high maintenance, yes marriage is maintenance, just like anything in life is, it requires maintenance to keep your car running good, care to keep your body healthy, etc...

The author shares from her and her husband marriage the areas they discovered that are essential for keeping marriage in a healthy place. Commitment, Communication, Service, Laughter, and Sex. Here are a few of my favorite things she writes.

"Commitment is the foundation of a solid marriage. God's standard anchors us, so that our marriages can weather any storm that comes our way."
I couldn't agree more! If we were all honest we have or are going through storms in our marriages.

"Communication, it's not just talking a lot. It's both talking clearly and listening well. It's about grace and forgiveness and swallowing your need to be right."
"It matters, the way we talk about our husbands."

Service "We are called to love unconditionally and that means serving without reservation."
We should always look to the Lord to fill our cups, He is truly the only one that can meet our every need. When we do that we are full and free to love and serve others.

Laughter "Some days, laughter is our saving grace."

Sex"God created sex to be a unifying experience between two people who have committed to serving each other for their entire lives."

At the end of each section, the author provides a challenge you can use in your own marriage. There is also a section titled Weapons for the Battle. Which are scriptures to combat any battles in your marriage. Along with some free Bible verse printables and a list of resources.

This was a great little ebook, which can be read in one afternoon, however you will want to take the time to read and apply the marriage challenges from each section. I would also suggest memorizing the Bible verses she provided.

Now are you ready to buy it? To buy the ebook go to Kayse web-site http://kaysepratt.com/product/worth-fight. Did I mention it is only $3.99!! Today only (Monday Feb 3) use code "worththefight20" to receive 20% off!!!

Prayer Beads~Reminder To Pray

A Journey For Life

A Railroad wife and homeschooling stay at home mom to two children! We are Raising Arrows and enjoying this journey of faith! I have a slight obsession with books. I'm Minnesota raised, lived in Texas and Kentucky, Tennessee is home! I started this blog to keep long distance family/friends up-to-date on birth of our first child and since then it has become much more. Hubby is a Railroad Engineer. #journeyofFAITH